Colette Iselin is excited to go to Paris on a class trip. She' ll get to soak up the beauty and culture, and maybe even learn something about her family' s French roots.

But a series of gruesome murders are taking place across the city, putting everyone on edge. And as she tours museums and palaces, Colette keeps seeing a strange vision: a pale woman in a ball gown and powdered wig, who looks suspiciously like Marie Antoinette.

Colette knows her popular, status-obsessed friends won' t believe her, so she seeks out the help of a charming French boy. Together, they uncover a shocking secret involving a dark, hidden history. When Colette realizes she herself may hold the key to the mystery, her own life is suddenly in danger . . .

Acclaimed author Katie Alender brings heart-stopping suspense to this story of revenge, betrayal, intrigue — and one killer queen.

I’m a die-hard Marie Antoinette fan (pun intended), and when I saw this book it was like a Parisian pastry calling to me from behind a shiny window display. I’ve read most of the heavy and historical stuff about Marie , so I was ready to eat up this fluffy-looking fictitious spin on her legacy. Katie Allender successfully transported me to Paris on a pink, cotton-candy cloud of adventure, history, intrigue and romance.

Colette has had a rough year, and her French class school trip to Paris is a twinkling-light at the end of a dark tunnel. After her parent’s divorce, she’s had to downsize her life to the bare necessities, and she doesn’t want her two best friends to find out she’s been ”slumming it” in a small apartment and wearing thrift-store chic clothes.

While gathering the things she needs for her trip, Colette stumbles upon a unique family artifact. French blood runs on Colette’s paternal side of the family, and the boxed up mementos she finds have a distinctly French-feel to them. Especially the antique key that catches her eye amongst the boxed memories. Deciding it will give some je nais se qua to her trip attire, she decides to add it to her wardrobe as a necklace. Little does Colette know, this key will unlock a centuries old mystery and attract the very spectre of MARIE ANTOINETTE.

Heads roll like Parisian macaroons in this story, as a vengeful Maria Antoinette follows bloodlines straight to Colette. A fantastic and creepy tale takes shape as Colette makes her way through palaces and museums that Marie Antoinette herself used to inhabit. It seems destiny brought her on this trip to Paris, and also led her to a boy named Jules. He’s the handsome and sweet-as-caramel tour guide that is assigned to her group. He proves to be helpful to Colette in more ways than one, and the sweet-n-low romance that develops between them while Colette is trying to figure out her part in Marie’s rampage of revenge, gives this story just the right amount of saccharine.

Katie Allender is the Sofia Coppola of historical fiction. Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer was a sumptuous lollipop for my brain. It appealed to all my senses, and has all the charm of a Parisian street at sunset. Katie’s clever creation of the Order of the Key was both believable, and exquisitely entertaining. Her detailed descriptions of Paris, and the historical figures and gowns in this novel were a visual treat. This story was fun like Mean Girls or Pretty Little Liars, and it hit the spot. This novel was like a pink velvet cake, with creamy, buttery icing. I couldn’t put it down. I wanted to EAT IT. This is the perfect fast, fun read you need for your holiday break. Treat yourself, and go pick up a copy. I know you’re dying to find out what the Order of the Key is…..I’m ending my review here because now I’m hungry for pastries. Adieu!

Classical music nerd by day, freelance writer and blogger by night. When I review books, I don't dish out and rehash every character and detail. What's the point of reading a book if you give most of the deets away in a review??? My reviews are more about my impressions and over all experience with the book. I am also a world-renowned armchair psychologist, and love to psychoanalyze authors.